Machine for peeling, coring, and sizing pineapples



June 22 1926. 1,590,162 C. HARGRE-AVES MACHINE FOR FEELING, CORING, ANDSIZING'PINEAPPLES F'i'led Dec. 27. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 DI QR:

ED DEEJEIE o G? G'od c.2115, rear/ea 3 l EwS- June 22 1926.

" C. HA'RGREAVES MACHINE FOR FEELING, AND SIZING PINEAPPLES comma,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1925 Patented June 22, 1926.

UNITED srass FFICE- CHAR-LES HARGREAVES, OF MANLY, QUEENSLAND,AUSTRALIA.

MACHINE FOR FEELING, CORING, AND SIZING PINEAPPLES.

Application filed December 27, 1923, Serial No. 683,084, and inAustralia July 20, 1923.

This invention relates to pineapple preparing machines, the object beingto produce a machine that will peel, core, and size pineapples at theone operation in an expedi tious manner.

According to my invention the pineapple is rotatably carried by the endof one shaft and a centre cup and hollow shaft, which removes the core.A revolving cutter removes the skin, the depth of the out beingregulated by a gauge. A sizing knife then cuts the pine to the desiredsize.

In order that my invention may be better understood I will now describeit more fully with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1is a front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a plan thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation.

Figs. 4 to 10 are detail views.

In carrying out my invention I provide a light but strong frame A. Amain shaft B driven from any source of power supply runs in bearingscarried in the frame A. From this a centre shaft C, which carries oneend of the pineapple, is driven by suitable gearing, such as spur wheelsB This centre shaft 0, which runs in hearings in the frame A, is formedwith or has acentre and peripheral points C C on the end. In alignmentwith this centre shaft C is a coring shaft D running in bearings D onthe opposite side of the frame A. This coring shaft D, which is drivenfrom the main shaft B by suitable gearing, such as the spur wheels D ishollow and has grooves or flutings D or other formations on the outsideso that the pine, as it is cored, is caused to rotate with the shaft.Longitudinal movement is imparted to the coring shaft D by means of arocking crosshead E carried thereby. This crosshead E which has a longsleeve E slidably carried on the shaft D so as to prevent twisting, iscaused to engage with either of two worm shafts E E driven from themainshaft B in opposite directions by the spur wheel E so that a forwardmovement is imparted to the screw E and a return movement is given tothe screw E A shaft'F, running in bearings in the lower or otherconvenient part of the machine, is driven from the main shaft B, as byworm and worm wheel F bevel wheels F or otherwise. This shaft F has acam F secured thereon, which is arranged to operate a lever F which, inturn, operates a vertical rod F attached to the rocking crosshead E andwhich controls the movementthereof. A spring buffer F is provided on therod F Slidably and rotatably carried on the hearing D in which thecoring shaft D rotates, is a sleeve Gr having a centring cup G at theend. This sleeve G and centring cup G are rotated by the main shaft 13by suitable gearing, such as the spur wheels G and longitudinal movementis imparted thereto by a cord or chain G attached thereto, and which,after passing over a pulley G is attached to a spring G which, in turn,is secured to a lever G pivoted on the frame A. The bracket G keeps therespective parts in place. The lever'G is operated by a cam H on theshaft F running in the lower part of the machine. A spring Gr suitablyarranged forces the centring cup G back to release the pine after it hasbeen pared, cored, and sized.

The frame H is slidably carried, such as by the shaft H (driven from themain shaft B by spur wheels H anda tie rod H Pivotally and dependablycarried by the slidable frame H is a bracket J which carries a spindle Jdriven from the shaft H by the bevel wheels J and spur wheels J Any freewheel arrangement may be provided, if desired, by which the horizontalbevel wheel J drives the first spur wheel J The spindle J carries aparing knife J as clearly shown in Fig. 8. On the bracket- J is a rollergauge J hinged there to, provided with a screw J 6 screwed through thearm J 7 so that the thickness of the skin pared off can be adjusted asdesired.

Suspended from the slidable frame H is the sizing knife K, consisting ofa segmental blade having a forward cutting edge and a vertical cutter KThe bracket J is controlled by the arm K and is held inits normalposition by the spring K The frame H is moved forward by means of a rackL, which is brought into engagement at the proper moment with a worm Lon the main shaft B by means of a rod L connected to a lever L actuatedby the cam F on the shaft F at the lower portion of the machine. Aspring L raises the rack L out of engagement from the worm L at the endof the stroke and another spring L suitably placed forces the frame Hcarrying the paring and sizing knives J K back to its normal position.

The parings fall into a shoot M, the sizings fall into. a shoot M andthe. sized pineapples fall into the shoot; M each shoot being suitablyplaced so; as to, catch anddirect the materials where desired.

The constructional details of machines constructed according to myinvention may be varied as found necessary so long as the essentialfeatures are retained.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The machine having been setin motion the pineapple is placed in position with one end against thecentre- C. and the other end in the cup G As the cam G".

comes into action, the cup G is moved tight against the pineappleholding it in position.

Any surplus, strain caused by the action of the cam G is taken up bythe. spring G At the proper moment the cam F operates on the. lev r Fand thetooth E of the rocking crosshcad E is caused to engage the screwand the coring shaft I) forced forward against and into. the pineapple,thus removing the core thereof. The core and body of the pineapplerotates. with the normal at the end of the operation, when the levers Eare released by the. springs and screw E Having now particularlydescribed and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in whatmanner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1..In a machine for preparing pineapples, a frame, a main shaft journalledtherein, a centering shaft also mounted in the frame and operablyconnected with the main shaft, points on said shaft, a coring shaftrotatably mounted in the frame 0pposite the centering shaft and operablyconnected with. the main shaft, means for reciprocating the coring shaftin opposite directions, manually operable means for controlling thedirection of reciprocation of the coring shaft, a centering cup mountedon the forward end of the coring shaft,

- forthe purposes setv forth.

means for reciprocating the cup, and means for controlling thereciprocation of the cup, substantially as and for. the. purposes setforth.

Ina machine for preparing pineapples and the like, a frame, a main shaftjournalled therein, acenteri-n-g shaft also mounted in the frame andopcrably connected with the; frame, points on the shaft, a coring shaftrotatably mounted within the frame opposite the. centeringshaft, screws;operably connected withthe: main shaft and rotatable; in opposite.directions, rocking crosshcadv mounted, on the coring shaft, teeth onthe respective ends of" the. crossllead for; engagement; with thescrews, means for controlling the operation of the. crosshead toconsequently regulate the; reciprocation .of the coring shaft, acentering cup mounted on the forward. end of the coring shaft, and meansfor operating the cup, substantially as and for the purposes set. forth.

5. In a machine; for pre aaring pineapples, sliding frame, a rackattached to: said frame, a worm driven. from a source. of power supply,means formoving said rack into and out of" gear with said worm, as andfor the purposes herein set forth.

4:. In a machine. for preparing pineapples, a sliding frame, a bracketpivotally con nected to said frame, a spindle running in said: bracketand driven. from the; main shaft of said machine, a paring knife on saidspindle, agauge carried by said bracket, as and for the puiposes. hereinset, forth.

. 5. In a machine for preparing pineapples as set forth in claim i, asizer carried by the sliding frame, substantially as and 6.1a a machine.for preparing pineapples, a main frame, centering, coring, pal.-

ing and sizing mechanisms mounted therein, means; for actuating saidmechanisms including a main shaft operably connected with the.mechanisms, a secondary shafto-perated with the mainshaft, cams carriedby the secondary shaft, means. actuated by the cams: for controllingthe: actuation of; the

mechanisms. bythe main shaft, and means associated with the abovementioned means for returning the mechanisms to their original positionsat suitable intervalsfso that the cycle of operation of the mechanismsmay be repeated, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

ion

'Intestimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES nanennavns.

